1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coffee automat having a vertically adjustable and lockable outflow unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
By means of such prior art coffee automats, various coffee preparations can be selected for which different portions, or liquid amounts, respectively, are typical and for which, therefore, differently sized cups have to be used. Cups for espresso, for instance, are distinctly smaller, particularly less high, than are coffee pots or cups for cappuccino. For large coffee portions, mugs can be used. In order to obtain a very precise inflow of the coffee preparation into the vessels of different size, particularly height, prior art coffee automats include already an outflow unit vertically adjustable with respect to the size, particularly the height, of the receiving vessel, above a vessel support, or cup support, respectively. For the height adjusting support of the outflow unit, a groove and tongue shift arrangement is provided as a rule. The outflow unit may, in addition, include a clamping means in order to lock the adjusted outflow height.—Unless produced very precisely and at high costs, such groove and tongue shift arrangements may be adjustable with a lot of difficulties only or may include a large play. In combination with the clamping means the require attention and a certain skill for adjustment and safe locking. In operation, they do not impart a very valent impression.
Technically highly sophisticated is also a prior art drinks dispenser, particularly a coffee automat of the kind referred to in the beginning including an outflow means for the beverage and a cup support wherein a height distance between an outflow portion, or an outflow unit, respectively, and the cup support is continuously adjustable and lockable by a locking means which is in operative connection with a movable part on one hand, and a fixed part of the drinks dispenser, on the other, wherein the movable part, adjacent to the fixed part, includes two sliding coulisses horizontally spaced in parallel relative to each other, each of which being height-adjustable in a slider (DE 298 10 291.9 A). In detail, each sliding coulisse is approximately U-shaped having an inner leg and an outer leg, and each slider constitutes a sliding angle having two legs the first leg of which forming a solid unit with the fixed portion and at least one section of the second leg is embraced by the inner leg and the outer leg of the sliding coulisse. For locking, the outer legs of the sliding coulisse may include, on its fixed outer side facing the fixed portion, a stripe of ferromagnetic material and facing it, a magnet is provided on the fixed portion. Analogously and vice versa, the outer legs of the sliding coulisse may include, on their outer side facing the fixed part, the magnet facing same the strip of ferromagnetic material is solidly fastened to the fixed part whereof.